ROYAL ARCH MASONS PRESENT AUTISM SPEAKS WITH $100,000 GRANT

On Thursday, November 10, representatives from the General Chapter of Royal Arch Masons International presented Autism Speaks with a $100,000 Royal Arch Research Assistance (RARA) grant. The generous contribution will help support the Autism Speaks early diagnosis and early intervention initiative to investigate auditory processing disorders in children with autism.

Many of the precursor symptoms of auditory processing disorders are seen in some children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These symptoms include trouble paying attention and remembering information; poor listening skills; difficulty in processing information; behavioral problems; difficulty with comprehending language; and anxiety or confusion in social situations. Young children on the autism spectrum who exhibit precursor symptoms may be diagnosed with a central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) at a later age.

The RARA grant will enable Autism Speaks to address precursor symptoms of auditory processing disorders in an effort to create better outcomes for children who are at risk for developing both ASD and CAPD. In addition, the grant will go towards funding Autism Speaks’ efforts to educate healthcare providers and parents about the role of auditory processing disorders in a child’s autism diagnosis as well as encourage further evaluation for young children who demonstrate auditory processing difficult. Autism Speaks will also disseminate and share information developed in this effort with caregivers and clinicians including methods to treat auditory processing problems associated with ASD.

We would like to thank our friends at the Royal Arch Masons for this wonderful grant. Their support will help clinicians gain a better understanding of the early signs of auditory processing disorder in children with autism, allowing for treatment of this disorder to begin as early as possible.